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July 08


Events, info, recipes

Photo Hi everyone!

For those of you new to RawforLife, I'm Debbie Took and I follow a 100% raw food diet. I don't eat cooked food because cooking damages and destroys vital nutrients in our food, and creates toxins. Some say living solely on raw food is 'extreme'. It is. I decided I didn't want to suffer any more from the various ailments considered 'normal' in our society. And, since going raw, I've never felt better.

What is RawforLife?

My mission is to spread the word about raw, and to inform and support those at all stages of the raw food journey.

I do this in two ways:

FREE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT

  • RawforLife website here
  • RawforLife Blog(articles)here
  • RawforLife monthly e-zine
  • Contributions to raw food forums
PAID-FOR INFORMATION AND SUPPORT

What is the RawforLife e-zine?

An e-magazine for everyone. It's for those who have been raw for years, for those who are new to raw, and it's also for those who really aren't sure about raw at all (but would perhaps like to eat a little more raw food). I'll try not to confuse, and will always, in the e-zine at least, aim to feature recipes that are straightforward, that need no special equipment beyond a basic blender or food processor, and include only ingredients that can be purchased locally in the UK. To those more experienced raw fooders - I hope you'll find at least a couple of things here you hadn't been aware of before.

The July weather in the UK continues to be more spring than summer-like, but my plants seem to have grown at twice the rate of last year, and so many more flowers! Last year, a friend of mine was moving and let us have some raspberry plants. They've produced delicious fruit, and are so much sweeter than the ones in the shops (which I can't eat - too sharp!). See the pic in the 'In this Issue' section.

You'll see this is a rather fruity issue -welcome...to the July edition of the RawforLife e-zine!
In This Issue

July

  • Forthcoming Events: Raw Food Preparation Classes
  • Feature Article: Raw and Social Occasions
  • SUPER Food of the Month: Whole Sesame Seeds
  • Recipe: Sunfood Kebabs in Mango-Tomato Sauce
  • 'Pick of the Blog': Is It A Salsa Or Is It A Soup?
  • 'Raw When Poor': Bananas
  • Book of the Month: Victoria Boutenko 'Twelve Steps to Raw'
Photo
Forthcoming Events

Raw Food Preparation Classes
16th July - RawforLife Experience £70 SOLD OUT
 
 
 

AUTUMN DATES - TO BE ANNOUNCED

But, in the meantime, although there are no classes, I can still help raw fooders via e-mail or telephone support at RawforLife Support (e-mail)
Feature Article

Raw And Social Occasions
Photo When I went raw, one concern for me was whether my raw food diet was going to 'spoil things' for those with whom I had shared many happy experiences of eating together, at home, on holiday, in restaurants...and I know others new to raw often have dilemmas re social occasions; should we expect others to make us different food, will they be upset when we don't eat their cooked food, what will we do when eating out, etc.

I can help here by providing you with some practical tips from my own experience and that of others, and hopefully reassure you that 'raw on social occasions' will become less and less of an issue the longer you are raw.

So - this article's aimed primarily at the new raw fooder, but also at those who have been 'high-raw' for some time, have chosen to eat cooked food on social occasions, but who would now like to increase the percentage of raw.

Firstly, your friends and relations may well be far less traumatised and/or offended by your change in diet than you think they will be. If you were thinking, 'well, I must eat my Mum's cooked food when I visit, else she'll be upset...', how sure are you that she will be? Or is it simply a great excuse for you to eat cooked food again? (Just checking :-))

The Big Announcement

The first thing to do is tell everyone you have gone raw, and make this quite unequivocal, so that everyone is clear, ie that you are not eating any cooked food at all.

And, if you do fear you might meet some resistance, or concern, you could try saying something like this:

'I've been suffering from 'x', I've been researching, and I've found that raw food can help. So I'm going on a strict raw foods-only diet for 30 days.'

Neither of these statements will be untrue. Everyone (um, who isn't 100% raw of course! :-)) should be able to find some sort of ailment, and anyone who's researched raw will know that a raw food diet will help. And, yes, you'll be raw for 30 days (and you don't need to let on that actually you might be raw for rather a lot longer after that!).

This should reassure, ie there's a Good Health Reason behind it,and that perhaps you'll be Back to Normal soon!

Reactions...

After your announcement, reactions will of course vary. Some will be interested and enthusiastic, others' eyes will roll (another of your 'fads'!). But, even to those who are interested, only give information if they specifically ask for it. Evangelising is unnecessary, often ineffective,and can even be counter-productive. You, over the years to come, will be a living testimony.

Although I suggested earlier that friends/relations may be less affected than you think, it's certainly true that some may be upset, especially if they have always seen food as an integral part of their nurturing, of their love for you. And some (not all, but there will be one) who will feel just a shade prickly-defensive about their own diet) However, think 'tough love' here. You know the health benefits of raw, and you also know how radically it would improve their own health if they changed their diets. There may be pain in the short term, but you are also sowing seeds...two years on you may have changed lives, not by badgering, but by simply having the courage of your convictions, and changing the way YOU live.

They may be concerned about you. They will probably see you lose weight, and will have seen enough sensationalist TV programmes about 'size zero' and food obsessions to start worrying that you're heading the same way. There's not much that can be done here except to try and reassure. I found people expressed concern about my weight loss in the early months, then when it stabilised and I didn't lose any more,and people got used to my 'new look', it was never mentioned again and they stopped worrying about me! So that, as with everything else, will get easier - promise!

Visiting

If the food's buffet - easy! Just take contributions of delicious raw foods. Even if the host says that it's not necessary to bring anything, still do. Your offering won't be turned away, and it's a sensible precaution in case the only raw food at the buffet is a lettuce leaf garnish (has been known...).

If a sit-down meal, ask the host whether they would like you to bring your own food. Don't assume that this question will offend - one friend of mine, renowned as an excellent cook, responded enthusiastically when I asked this, as she really wanted to see some 'gourmet raw food' (and yes, you can guess, I spent a long time preparing!). Even if your host says that they'll do all the food, ask if you can just take 'one plate of 'x' - as a contribution?'. That will take the pressure off them, as I know someone who insisted that I bring nothing, then wailed (and not just once) to a mutual friend, 'What on earth am I going to do for Debbie?!' Also, if you take something rather wonderful, it will reassure that you are not living solely on raw carrots.

If your host does make something for you they wouldn't have done otherwise, make sure you show your appreciation! Make them feel as good for having thought about you, and gone out of their way to provide something special, as they would if they'd given you a cooked meal. And, if they've included tinned chickpeas in the salad, or shelled cashews from Tesco, because they thought they were raw, I'll have to dodge this one and leave it up to you as to whether you say nothing and eat them. If you do gamely eat, you can always find an opportunity to drop these things into the conversation in future.

When you're the host

A wonderful opportunity to build bridges food-wise, reassure loved ones about your diet, and even (possibly) enthuse them!

Both parents and in-laws have enjoyed buffets at my house comprised of bought-in cooked buffet food, together with the most delicious raw food that I've been able to come up with from my repertoire. I think these occasions have done more than anything to help those who care about me feel receptive to the raw food diet, convince them that I'm really not 'denying' myself, and am just as enthusiastic about food as I always was when cooked! Some of your friends may be keen gardeners, and those of you who, like me, didn't know one end of a trowel from the other pre-raw, might find a new common passion with others once you are growing your own!

Photo Restaurants

Some restaurants can be problematic for the raw fooder. Don't go (even if finances could permit) to the world-renowned Heston Blumenthal's 'Fat Duck' at Bray, Berkshire, UK unless you want him to come out of his kitchen and shout at you (he's spoken out against raw fooders). But, with a menu that includes such delicacies as 'snail porridge', you might not want to.

Chinese restaurants are...tricky - won't be much for the raw fooder. But if you'd like to meet friends there, ring the restaurant ahead, explain you're on a 'special diet for health reasons' (which is true!) and ask if you could take your own food. If time permits, scour the great recipe/discussion website www.goneraw.com for Chinese-style raw recipes. Indian - not easy either, but you could ask if they could make you a big salad using the ingredients they put with the chicken tikka.

But, at lots of other restaurants it's...very easy! Greek and Italian restaurants are ideal for the raw fooder. Sometimes you may even be able to order direct from the menu, with just a tweak, eg a big bowl of chef's salad minus any cooked ingredients.

Special Meal Requests

I've had some beautiful salads made for me at Carluccio's restaurants (in London and Reading) following an e-mail to the chef the day before, including the following note (Victoria Boutenko suggests something similar in ther book 'Twelve Steps to Raw.')
________________________________________________________

TO THE CHEF

I'm on a raw food diet for health reasons. I've looked at your menu, and the sorts of ingredients you use, and would be grateful if you could make me a meal using any number of the following suggested raw ingredients:

Green leaves (eg spinach, lettuce, rocket)
Red leaves (eg Lollo Rosso, radicchio)
Tomatoes
Avocado
Cucumber
Peppers
Celery
Onion (eg red, white, spring onion, shallot)
Herbs (eg basil, tarragon, dill)
Sprouts (eg mung, cress,alfalfa)
Fruit (and fine mixed with green leaves)
Nuts (eg walnuts, pine nuts (but not toasted).

Dressings: olive oil, lemon/orange juice, sea salt, herbs - all fine.

Thank you so much.

________________________________________________________

Ideally, e-mail the day before, but it's also worth keeping a copy in your bag or wallet for impromptu occasions.

If it's a restaurant that you feel is 'pro-raw' (or could be) then you could give them a copy of Shazzie's new 'RawBritannia' e-book of recipe suggestions for restaurants. But be careful - best to avoid those recipes using olives, cashews etc, as restaurants will not have these available raw. Recommend you download it anyway as there are some great recipes (with beautiful photographs!)

Raw socially? It will get easier and easier

You will in time most likely eat out less than pre-raw (although I don't think you'll miss it - it will be replaced by other good things!). The number of people you will have to announce your 'new' diet to will steadily decrease, and any who might have been resistant initially will have very likely adjusted to the fact that your change of eating is for real, and permanent, and accept it.

And you may even see friends and relations eating more raw food themselves. My parents eat more green leaves in their diet now, and I feel that this is is partly because (Mum will be reading this!)my 'high-profile' diet has had the effect of their noticing more press articles about the dangers of cooked food - I remember Mum phoning me when the Daily Telegraph 'broke' the (actually quite old!)news that acrymalides in cooked food are linked with cancer. Mum's also got the juicer out again after an 'exile' and made me a delicious apple, celery and carrot juice when visiting yesterday.

My dad-in-law's LDL cholesterol is on the rise, so I've just taken him a present of some flax crackers (which he loves), cashew chive 'cheese' and salsa, so there are still lots of ways in which food nurturing and shared enjoyment of food can go on despite one of the family being raw!

And, of course, you'll have a whole new set of raw friends and social events anyway, through joining the raw food forums listed at the bottom of this e-zine!

Bon appetit!

SUPER Food of the Month

Whole Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds come from the flowering sesame plant, which grows 2-3 feet tall in tropical regions.

Of course it's well-known for its oil-rich seeds, which come in a variety of colours. The most prevalent colour in the West and Middle East is the pale brown; black sesame seeds are prized in the Far East.

Sesame is rich in polyunsaturated fats (the healthy kind) and even Wikipedia notes that these are damaged by heating, so if buying sesame oil make sure it's made from untoasted sesame seeds, and cold-pressed.

Sesame seeds are a great raw vegan source of calcium. BUT always buy seeds whole (pale brown) rather than de-hulled (cream)as, according to Wikipedia, 90 mg per tbsp of calcium in whole seeds drops to 10 mg for de-hulled! I was so amazed by this that I checked the source for this (USDA National Nutrient Database) and found that 'whole dried sesame seeds' give us 975 mg of calcium per 100g, and that 'kernels sesame seeds dried' give us just 60mg per 100g (a drop of 94%).

Apart from the colour, you'll know you've got whole if after soaking, they sprout. I checked this recently using cream-coloured sesame seeds from Tesco, and whole pale brown seeds from my local wholefood supplier (who obtain theirs from Infinity Foods in Brighton). The Infinity seeds sprouted - the Tesco ones didn't, and rotted.

Sesame is also rich in manganese, copper, and calcium, and one of the oil-giving plants richest in antioxidants. So it's rather good for us!

And what a shame the way sesame seeds reach the bodies of most people in the UK is:

  • de-hulled (90%+ reduction in calcium)
  • toasted (we know roasting, toasting etc creates toxins, eg acrymalides, that are linked with cancer).
  • then made into oil using heating (damage to polyunsaturated fats)
  • then heated again when the oil is heated in cooking (further toxins created)
Gosh I'm glad I'm a batty raw foodist!


Photo

Sources of whole sesame seeds (with thanks to Claire):

  • Infinity (via Baldwins at www.baldwins.co.uk)
  • www.auravita.com
(note - take care with other sources, ie check the fine print on the back of the pack - seeds may be 'lightly toasted'- with thanks to Amy).

And ready-made 'raw tahini' - is it made with whole seeds or shelled? Usually - (sorry!) shelled. So, yes if you want tahini from whole seeds, you'll need to make your own. This isn't an official 'recipe' as I like to say 'no special equipment needed' for RawforLife E-zine recipes, but sshhh...if you want to make your own tahini, grind whole sesame seeds (eg in a Vitamix 'dry jug' or Cuisinart mini-processor) then process (it'll need quite a few goes to avoid the mixture getting too hot) until paste consistency, adding tablespoons of oil(eg cold-pressed sesame, flax) as you go to get to the consistency you like. Although, it will never look quite like the tahini in jars because...it's made from whole seeds. It's quite hard work, but worth it if perhaps you have tahini no more than once a week.

Whole sesame seeds can be sprinkled on salads, which makes them look pretty, crunchy and altogether makes the salad seem more 'filling' (always helpful for those new to raw!). BUT - give them a good good CHEW, as otherwise they can 'go straight through you.' And of course this month you can see them sprinkled on the July Recipe Fruit Kebabs.

One of my favourite ways to have sesame is in a sesame milk shake, as follows:

Sesame Milk Shake

(for two)

  • 4 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2 Medjool dates (soak and chop finely if your blender isn't 'high-power')
  • 2 cups water.
Blend.

Now, you can strain through a nutbag before drinking if you're not keen on a 'bitty' texture in your milk, but I rather like it unstrained, and of course then all the nutrients in the whole seed will be retained.

I find sesame milk shakes very soothing, and very filling, so if you're new to raw food and feel you need to feel full, they're just the thing! They also soak up any cravings for something...creamy.

Recipe

Sunfood Kebabs in Mango-Tomato Sauce

The Fruit Debate

As this is a rather 'fruity' e-zine recipe-wise, and the 'recipe' itself is so easy it doesn't take a lot of space, I thought I'd use what's left to make my own position on fruit clear, as it's a hotly-debated topic in the raw food world! Position - I really enjoy fruit! Dr Doug Graham recommends we eat an 80% sweet fruit diet. But Dr Brian Clements recommends 10% fruit or less.

Without going into the details of why these Docs each think as they do (maybe a blog article one day) I believe what is most important, at least in the first year of being a raw fooder, is to ensure that the food you are eating, whatever that maybe, is undamaged by heat, that is - all nutrients are correct and present, in the proportions that nature designed the food to give us, so that they can all work together beautifully.

I also believe that, once we have been eating undamaged food for a while, we can rely on our clever bodies to tell us what sorts of food to eat. For example, sometimes I could do with a bit of fat. How do I know? I feel desire for fatty foods, such as olives, avocado and nuts. Sometimes I eat too much fat. How do I know? A desire for a bowl of green leaves (sometimes accompanied by a slight sicky feeling!).

It is important that we have some fruit, green leaves and fat in our diet. But, beyond that, please don't worry that your particular mix of foods is 'wrong'. There are hundreds of thousands of people thriving (including those who have seen major illnesses go) on high fruit, middling fruit, and low fruit diets - and what these diets have in common is that they're all RAW.

Right now I'm eating quite a high-fruit diet, ie nearer Doug than Brian, but I don't think this would have satisfied me in my first few months of raw, when I really missed the stodginess of my old cooked diet, and had a wonderful time (and experienced amazing health results!) on a lower-fruit, higher-fat diet.

IF anyone would like any guidelines, and is bewildered by the gulf between the low-fruiters and high-fruiters, and doesn't fancy the 'almost no fruit' diet, OR the 'almost all fruit' diet, I'd recommend at least STARTING with David Wolfe's 'Sunfood Triangle' approach, which is:

  • one-third sweet fruit-based meals (perhaps in the morning, as fruit is best eaten on an empty stomach)
  • one-third green-leafy-veg-based meals (perhaps lunchtime)
  • one-third fat-based meals (probably best evening, so there is the night ahead to digest heavier foods such as nuts).
Plus anything else raw that falls outside these groups that you like.

Then, after a while, if you find you have a desire to eat more fruit than the above (or less) go with that!

As I know some will then want to know...'one third by calories, or by weight?' I'll say now - it really doesn't matter. I'm talking 'roughly'. As I said, if you do eat too much of something for your body's needs your body will set up a desire for something else. So, if you're a raw food eater, yes, you can 'listen to your body'. But, if you're still eating cooked food, your body is unlikely to be in tune with what it needs, and that mind of yours will get up to all sorts of tricks.
PhotoSunfood Kebabs in Mango-Tomato Sauce

NOTE The pic doesn't show the sauce, because...it was a delicious afterthought - inspired by a Dr Doug Graham soup idea!)

For starter or light main meal.

Here's one meal that includes a little from each of the three Sunfood Triangle Food Groups. Fruit mixes fine with leaves, and the combination of the fruit with the relatively-easy-to-digest avocado and the very light sprinkling of seeds shouldn't give anyone any digestive problems. However, be wary of combining fruit with larger, denser seeds and nuts, as this can result in...football tummy! (for reasons why see Feature Article RawforLife Feb 08 e-zine here)

  • Make salad of shredded red/green leaves and cubed avocado.
  • Thread brightly-coloured cubes of fruit on sticks.
  • Pour over a sauce of equal-parts (by weight) of mango blended with tomato and a little water.
  • Sprinkle with seeds (eg whole sesame).
Done!

Oh, OK - just a few caveats!

  • Fruit should be firm, so that it threads onto the sticks without breaking (frustrating!).
  • Choose contrasting colours
  • Best to play safe and not combine acid fruits (eg pineapple, oranges) with sweet (eg papaya) - can give tummy-aches.
‘Pick of the Blog’

The main RawforLife website, at www.rawforlife.co.uk is the 'base' - full of information about raw food, 'before and after's', and details of classes. The RawforLife Blog, at www.debbietookrawforlife.blogspot.com, is the 'newsy' site - updated 2-3+ times a month with news, articles and occasional recipes. As the e-zine and Blog subscriber lists are not identical, I do hope those who do subscribe to both will not mind my reprinting one Blog article here each month. If you would like to see all past Blog articles and receive articles by e-mail as soon as they are published, do visit the Blog site, enter your details in the Feedblitz panel on the Blog site, then follow very carefully the instructions for subscribing.

Is It A Salsa Or Is It A Soup?
SALSA Very juicy...very fruity! Serves 2+ (all quantities approximate)

  • 5 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 shallot or small red onion, finely chopped
  • Medium mango, chopped
  • 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
  • Small handful shredded basil (or mint)
  • 2 tbsp cold-pressed oil (I use flax)
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Finely chopped chili (to taste - I use 1/3 only)
Mix all ingredients together, and...SALSA! (serve alone, pile on top of flax crackers, or as accompaniment to eg dehydrated main meal)

DIP As above. Then blend for 2-5 seconds (depending on strength of blender) and...DIP! (for crackers, crudites etc)

SOUP As above. Then mix with water until soup consistency, blend for a few seconds longer and...SOUP!

(optional - stir in and garnish with one or more of chopped mango/red onion/herbs for texture and colour)
'Raw When Poor'

Packets of 'superfood' costing £15-30 can be fun additions to the raw food diet, but none of them are essential. Each month I will be reminding everyone about delicious, whole foods, available locally, that cost very little. To many of you this information may seem obvious, but, equally, many of us can get a bit carried away at the start of the raw food diet (I did!) and spend vast quantities on expensive foods - and I don't want anyone saying it's too expensive to be raw!

As not everyone is fortunate enough to have an organic co-op near them, or be able to get to a market, I've based my prices on Waitrose (so many of you will be able to obtain the foods far cheaper!).

Photo
Bananas

Organic bananas £1.55 for a bunch of six.

Cost per banana: 26p

Book of the Month

Photo
'12 Steps to Raw Foods' Victoria Boutenko

Victoria Boutenko, a well-known figure in the international raw food world, healed herself, her husband and children of a range of illnesses, including her son's diabetes, with raw food. She has since written several books, has run courses and support groups and continues to inspire people worldwide.

Victoria has a wonderfully readable and 'easy' style, and in 'Twelve Steps to Raw' she encourages, motivates and supports those who would like to transition to a 100% raw diet.

We can be addicted, both physically and psychologically, to cooked food, and Victoria firstly helps us become aware that we are (and admit it - common to other Twelve Stop programs to overcome addictions), explains how cooked food addiction occurs, and how we can break free of the 'hold' cooked food has on us.

Victoria shares with us the stories of her own transition (including difficulties) and that of her family, and her sharing of the growth that they all experienced is truly inspiring. And the book is nicely rounded off with a selection of recipes.

For anyone who finds raw a bit of a struggle sometimes, or even those who have been 100% raw for aeons, and haven't got round to reading this book yet - I do recommend it.
Forums

A raw food forum (also known as a community, group, message board, 'list) is an invaluable source of information and support for raw fooders at every level of experience. You can join and be a 'passive' member, and just read the posts, or, better still, join and post, as regular posters are the lifeblood of forums. I'm recommending these three because I have direct experience of them - being a member of all!

Raw Food UK Forum
This is the forum I started in June 07 and is specifically for the UK raw community. Great for information, encouragement, and news of UK events.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfooduk/

giveittomeraw.com
International 'party version' forum. A bit like Facebook! Support, entertainment, videos..the lot!
http://www.giveittomeraw.com/

goneraw.com
International. The best forum for raw recipes (although take care - some non-raw ingredients). Also discussion.
http://goneraw.com/

I hope you've found the RawforLife e-zine enjoyable and informative! If so, please tell your friends about RawforLife.

www.rawforlife.co.uk
(the website – packed with information on raw food, and classes (Alissa Cohen, RawforLife)

www.debbietookrawforlife.blogspot.com
(the blog –updated 2-3+ times a month with news and articles)

I can be contacted at : debbietook@rawforlife.co.uk

If you’d like to reproduce any part of this e-zine – in print or anywhere on the web – you are welcome, as long as you cite my name and rawforlife.co.uk as the source.

Love

Debbie Took, RawforLife

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